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Chinese operatives accused of espionage and military infiltration in the US
Two Chinese citizens, Yuance Chen, 38, and Liren “Ryan” Lai, 39, have been formally charged by the United States Department of Justice with espionage-related activities aimed at infiltrating the US military. The charges claim that both individuals acted on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country's principal foreign intelligence agency.
According to the Department of Justice, the suspects carried out a series of covert operations that involved facilitating payments in return for sensitive national defense information, collecting intelligence on Navy installations, and attempting to recruit individuals as intelligence assets for the MSS.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized that this case illustrates the Chinese government's continued and determined efforts to penetrate US military structures and compromise internal security.
The FBI detailed in an affidavit that Lai was part of a broader MSS network, leveraging his ability to travel easily between the US and China to coordinate intelligence efforts. Beginning in 2021, he began grooming Chen, who holds legal US residency, as a potential source of military-related information.
Lai allegedly encouraged Chen to travel abroad for face-to-face meetings, offering to cover travel expenses. During these meetings, they reportedly connected with MSS agents. In 2022, the two allegedly left a bag containing $10,000 in cash in a California storage locker, which was intended as payment to others assisting in intelligence gathering.
Over the next several years, Chen is said to have compiled various pieces of sensitive information, some of which included personal details of US Navy personnel. One notable incident involved Chen visiting San Diego, where he met a Navy employee and toured the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. Evidence presented includes a visitor badge and photos of Chen aboard the ship with the Navy contact and their child.
The FBI views these acts as part of China’s broader push to enhance its naval strength, particularly by acquiring "blue-water" capabilities that allow operations far from Chinese shores. The affidavit states that MSS operatives are deployed to secretly gather intelligence from the US Navy to support this objective.
Both suspects face charges under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), which mandates individuals acting on behalf of foreign nations to formally register with the US government. Authorities have increasingly relied on this legislation to confront what they see as a growing threat of Chinese espionage.
China has historically denied such allegations and accuses the United States of engaging in biased enforcement practices.
US Attorney Craig H. Missakian commented that the case demonstrates the scale of foreign intelligence threats facing the nation. He reaffirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to pursuing complex and sensitive counterintelligence operations to prevent threats to national security.
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